She tried her best just to ignore Chillbane as best she good, keeping her eyes shut, head down, and arms crossed over her chest, hoping the fool would fall off if he was idiot enough to walk around the roofless back bed of the truck while it was moving. Yet, he continued to persist and dropped down on the bench beside her, putting his arm on the benches back, centimeters away from her.

"Hey Zaara, when why get to Ishbal, what do ye thinka bout me and ye taking long walks on the sand? Yi know we are mint for each other!"

The Blade Alchemist?s eye shot open and her brow furrowed heavily at the sight of Lawson beside her. ?If that hand of yours so much at touches me, Chillbane, you best hope there are medics in Ishbal that can reattach it. Now return to where you were sitting and stopped acting like a hormone-driven teenager.?

And speaking of teenagers, just about as she finished her warning to the other Lieutenant Colonel, the young Major Smucz spoke up suddenly, still fiddling with his battery packs.

"So anyone wondering why we're bothering to go to the middle of some desert just to wipe out a bunch of sand dwellers? I mean why don't we just let them attack us and get themselves killed trying."

?The Fuhrer has sent us specifically to exterminate the Ishbalan people from the land, and so that is what we shall do. It is not ours to question these orders. Besides which, the Ishbalans aren?t stupid, or this war wouldn?t have lasted for seven years. They?re not just going to throw themselves on our weapons like dumb animals and we can?t just wait for them to attack our bases or enter our homeland and make ourselves look like cowards in the process. No, we must plan our strategy, arm ourselves, and strike forward with full force, and the best place to do that is at their heads and their hearts. Or, in other words, at their tribal leaders and their religion. Without them, the nation will crumble and the fear caused by the extermination will send their people into chaos.?

Zerah closed her eyes again and sighed quietly. The boy was still young and apparently had much to learn. Still, that would change very soon as they were sent onto battlefield.

TAG: Blubeast, Chanbill

IC: Commander Reyhan
Heshbon- Gunja Dariha (District)- Ishbal

The room was in near total darkness. The shutters to the windows were pulled tightly shut and only a single candle illuminated the splintered wooden desk. In the peace of his seclusion, Reyhan sat and took a moment of respite as he found solace in the words of the prophets. His copy, bound in its worn and cracked leather covering, was definitely showing its age, but then it was bound to be. It had been a gift to him from his father on his thirteenth birthday, the day when, according his culture, he became a man. Ever since then, and especially during these days of war, he tried to take some time during the day to meditate on the scriptures and put his spirit at rest, yet it was becoming more and more difficult in these days to get a moments peace to himself.

?Commander Reyhan!? the shout came from the main room of the house as the wooden door slammed open, revealing his second-in-command, Tariq. ?Commander Reyhan! We must leave this place immediately!?

?We?ve just received word from our soldiers! The Ammies have taken Kal?Ishbal! A number of people were able to escape, but several, including the village elder, stayed behind. From our scout reports, the two is in ruins and there are no signs of survivors.? He paused and tried to catch his breath from being overly excited. ?Heshbon is the next closest major settlement to Kal?Ishbal besides Gunja itself. We must get you out of here before they arrive!?

A tired expression ran across the Commander?s face. Ever since he took the position as lea

At last the day had come: The day-long ride to Ishbal had finally ended. A vast sea of tents spread out into the desert-like, barren soil which characterised Ishbal. Valleys and small hills filled the sight, and the sun was of a bright red, contrasting heavily against the sapphire blue of the sky.

Yes, the camp was bustling with soldiers, indeed, coming and going, and aside from a group of soldiers, briefed and nervous, ready to move out, the atmosphere was much like his former home: The city; Lively with all the people moving to and fro, yet peaceful; Filled with laughter and joy, yet also with a sadness, a secret longing. Who knows how long these soldiers have been here already, filled with the silent desire. And who knows: Maybe this time, their longing, and the one of their families, would come true; Maybe this time, peace would come at last?

On the outskirts of the camp, a patient, yet bored brigade waited for the Brigadier General to pass down orders on where and to who they?d be assigned. The laughter and joking of the 40-or-so newbies could probably be heard from many tens of meters away, but their happiness, however, was sadly, just a mask to hide their true feelings, as the members of the brigade, who had been together for three years now, and had become each other?s family, would now enter the real danger zone: This was War. Their fear of potentially never seeing each other again, or dying themselves, could clearly be seen through their happy, content faÃ§ade. No matter how hard they tried, the negative atmosphere could not so easily be removed by jokes. And Alex felt the same way. Which was quite the surprise? It was a bit early to be worrying about this stuff, right?

?Sir??

Ah, Yes, the warrant officer. Seems I kind of? dosed off there. Maybe I should become a poet one day?
Alex turned around on the wall, which was located on the top of a hill, and which was high enough to overlook the barren field between the camp and the city, littered with grenade and shell impacts. He turned away from the battered landscape, and faced the Warrant Officer directly now, and while still cleaning his gun, he upheld his depressed emotionless face??Yes, Ford???You?ve heard about the State Alchemists arriving tomorrow, right? So, now, if you had your choice, which of the State Alchemists that you know would you pick to be assigned to? sir??

Alex? mouth curled up into a thoughtful smile. His voice was different now. Instead of the usual calm sound, he had changed now, to a more energetic, powerful voice, hoping that the entire brigade would hear him. Maybe he just wanted to restore a piece of the calmness or hope they had lost to worries, or maybe just to sound cool?

?I don?t really care, to be honest. As long as they?re strong and capable enough to take care of themselves, and altruistic enough to take care of me? I mean? us? Which I do not doubt, by the way, I wouldn?t mind at all who we?d be assigned to. I mean, we don?t know anything aside from their names...?

He continued with the usual softness and reassuring calmness that characterised his voice. ?Tomorrow, Ford? We?ll see tomorrow?

It's called something like ?Live in the Present?, if I remember correctly?

Yeah, That?s right?
So: Ford? why don?t you go speed stuff up and go look for the Brigadier General, eh? The sooner it?s tomorrow, the sooner we?ll know??[/color]
An almost villainous grin travelled up his lips? And as he turned back to the horizon, the magazine of his gun was locked in the clip-holder with a clean ?click?? His gun was ready... But were the others?
A wind blew, and the waiting continued? He pointed his pistol to the dawning sun? And with the continuous, soft, almost rhythmic sounds of gunshots and explosions in the background, h

"Mother is fine." Karim said, little emotion in his voice. Since his father's death he tended to show no emotion, seeing it as a way to keep the people who killed him from having a complete victory. "I need you to help me find out what the Amestrian military is up to." he added deciding to skip the formalities and getting right to the reason he had asked James here in the first place. "If I can find out what they're planning my people may just survive this genocidic assault on my country. I won't let those military dogs wipe out the rest of my family." he said only the smallest amount of disernable emotion in his voice. "Maybe I'll find out who killed my father in the process." he said his eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses. "Anyway do you think you can help?" he asked James, locking his eyes on his.

OCC: I know this is probably too late to mention, but since I can't change my character's bio now I just wanted everyone to know that besides just his palms, he has transmutation circles in his gloves that he know carries.

IC: Solo

'I wonder why the hell am I even here?' a sigh escaped his mouth before he brought the small bottle of water to his lips. The cold water refreshed him, his dry mouth had wanted some water for a while now. The desert was cruel and held no pity for any man, he knew that very well yet there he was trying to cross it. His white hair shined brightly by the sun's rays making his hair shine a silver color. His skin was tan and slightly shiny by the sweat that was trailing down his forehead and he could feel it running down his back.

Even though it was really hot he was still wearing a black trench coat that passed his knees. He continue to drink from the bottle of water up until the last drop. He smacked the bottom of the bottle with the palm on his hand, but it was completely empty and he was still thirsty.

He sighed again pushing the bangs of his hair back with his hand, "Well Solo you got no water and its at least one hour until you get to Ishbal...what are you going to do?" for some strange reason he found himself talking to...himself. He needed to go see a doctor after he was done with his little trip, being in the desert this long was definitely not healthy, especially if it meant having conversations with yourself.

"Well ME, the answer is completely obvious..." Solo grinned as he took out a pair of gloves from the pocket of his coat. He slip them into his hands and cracked his knuckles in the process, "I'll use alchemy"

He was kneeling down in one knee as he clapped his hands together then slammed them into the sand. Suddenly a bright blue light shot from the ground as a Well suddenly popped from the ground shooting huge amounts of water. Solo's grin widen as the fresh water covered most of his body cooling him down and refreshing him.

"Ah Alchemy what would I do without you?" Solo said as he spread his arms letting the water completely soaked him, he didn't have to worry because he knew that the heat would dry him and his clothes.

"I wonder how can my homeland see this as the greatest sin?" Solo wondered as he let his arms fall to his sides. He was an exile to his people he knew that and there was absolutely no reason why he should go back, but something just told him to go back. Also he had heard from people around him that something was going down in Ishbal and it included State Alchemist or 'dogs of the military' as they were often called.

"Well better get going"

--------------

Solo's clothes which were once completely wet were now dry due to the sun and the heat of the desert. He pushed his sunglasses further up to cover his red eyes, Ishbal was right in front of him only at a distance from where he was. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed a group of people in uniforms outside the city, he could tell they were soldiers, but he continued to walk nonetheless.

BANG

His ears twitch as his head quickly shot up, a gun was just fired. Apparently one of the soldiers had just shot someone. He couldn't tell too well because he wasn't really close to them, but he could still them and he knew there was a possibility that they could see him too. 'Well better go introduce myself to this people' a grin appeared across his face as he continue to walk. It was then when he heard one of them shout something along the lines of ?Sir! Behind us!? but it came very quietly since he was still at a distance.

Solo started walking closer to them, his grin still in his face. If the military was here then there was no doubt that State Alchemists were here as well, all he had to do was find them.

Ford looked up from his things momentarily and looked at the Second Lieutenant, a bit puzzled. Was he joking or did he really want him to go look for the Brigadier General? ?I?I?m not so sure it?s a good idea if I bother the General. He?s not a particularly?friendly fellow, from what I hear, and I don?t want to become a Master Sergeant again for disturbing him.? He gave a brief laugh at the comment, despite the fact that he was being totally honest.

?Anyway, if I could choose?you know, amongst the State Alchemists?... I think I?d either go with Major Mustang or Colonel Grand. They say Grand is the consummate soldier?loyal, noble, yet fearsome. I?ve seen Mustang practicing at the Eastern Command Center and his flame alchemy is?well, awesome. I?d hate to be on the receiving end of that. Either one of them? I?d be proud to serve with them.?

TAG: Cryodragoon

IC: James Black
McMillian?s Pub- East City- Amestris

James slowly sipped his beer as he listened to Karim speak and then folded his hands over his face. ?As to military information, I can do some digging myself through some contacts I have in Eastern Command, but that was one the reason I invited you here.? He paused and glanced towards the empty bar. ?McMillian?s is a frequent stop for Officers from Eastern Command after they?re done with their day. Come by her in the evening when the soldiers are here, find one drunk enough, and you might be able to get a few tidbits of information.?

Taking another quick drink from his beer, he matched the young Ishbalan eye for eye, or at least eye for sunglasses. ?As to your father, as much as I?d like to help, I doubt I can. The military doesn?t keep names or records on who they kill. They just kill them. I doubt even the soldier who killed him knew who he was. The most we?ll find out here in East City is when more troops are going to be deployed to Ishbal and from where. The finer troop movements around Ishbal would either be with the higher Generals, from whom there?s no way I?ll get any information, or from the troops on the ground back in Ishbal, which would require raiding one of the military command centers out there. I?ll do what I can to help, but I?m not sure what information I?ll be able to get.? James looked down at his drink and gave a sad smile. ?If my wife knew I was getting involved in this god forsaken war, she?d kill me, but I gotta do what I can to help.?

TAG: Chanbill

IC: Private Andrews
Tarsa- Ishbal District- Ishbal

The Ishbalan in the distance continued to approach, the white of his teeth shining in the sunlight as he walked. Andrews looked up to his Captain, who was watching through a pair of binoculars that were tied around his neck.

?Sir? Our orders??

Hesitating, the young Captain watched as the Ishbalan drew ever closer. ?It?s probable that this man is probably some kind of bomber or some such. Why else would he be walking straight towards the enemy lines?? He put down his binoculars and then turned to look at his men. ?Soldiers, about face and open fire!?

Alex drew the gun back. As the adrenalin rush in his blood caused by the ready-to-fire pistol faded, his face changed back from the momentary, powerful expression caused by the feelings of might and maybe even control, to the usual calm face. He switched the pistol back into safe mode, and holstered it, securing the gun tightly with the small belt attached to the leather, slightly worn holster.
He could almost feel the eyes of Ford boring into him. The absence of sounds from his general direction probably indicated he was asking himself what he had exactly meant. ?Was it some kind of cruel joke, or is he serious?. His slight stuttering instead of the wanted ?Yes, Sir? was even more an indication of Barret?s apparent inability to joke, and play jokes?
?I? I?m not so sure it?s a good idea if I bother the General. He?s not a particularly?friendly fellow, from what I hear, and I don?t want to become a Master Sergeant again for disturbing him.?

He followed up with a small laugh. Too bad that gave it all away: He was dead-serious? Scared by the brigadier general. This was a day to remember, indeed?
A small smile slowly crept up Alex? face. Maybe his jokes would actually get better one day? But indeed: There were rumours about the General. About him being brutish and dangerous, even to his own soldiers. Yes, this was, according to the rumours, a tactician not to mess with? For you could find yourself briefed for a suicide mission soon after.
Alex responded to Ford's answer with a smirk... Maybe he would need to work on his own jokes...

?Anyway, if I could choose?you know, amongst the State Alchemists?... I think I?d either go with Major Mustang or Colonel Grand. They say Grand is the consummate soldier?loyal, noble, yet fearsome. I?ve seen Mustang practicing at the Eastern Command Center and his flame alchemy is?well, awesome. I?d hate to be on the receiving end of that. Either one of them? I?d be proud to serve with them.?

Alex turned himself around, so that he would come to face Ford again, and pushed himself off the wall. He landed most gracefully, with a soft thud, and went to sit in the shadow of the wall. The sun was dawning still, yet the characteristic heat of Ishbal had enveloped him already, and his uniform, which felt like it could even be used in arctic conditions, didn?t help much either. His face frowned his eyebrows automatically, as he thought about the statement with mixed feelings: Indeed, fearsome soldiers were needed for this war, but their destructive abilities just didn?t feel right. His own motivation for joining the military; The drive to bring justice and civilisation to the world contradicted heavily with the unavoidable needless killings that both their rumoured personalities and abilities implied.

?Boy, do you know any one of them personally? I don?t think you do. Your statement is filled with assumptions and rumours going round in the brigade, while not one of us has ever seen, let alone know them. Sure? You?ve seen Major Mustang practise, just like I did, once, but does that say anything about himself? Of course not? In fact: I hope his own personality isn?t as destructive and malicious as the fire he conjures up. I really hope this war won?t be as destructive as the destruction he is able to rain down upon enemies, or bloody as the Iron Blood Alchemist?s name implies. I don?t promote needless slaughtering and destruction, and I honestly hope there?ll be some good people and buildings left when we leave Ishbal? You shouldn?t be proud of the destruction or killings your superior can inflict??

Boy? Why the hell did I call him ?Boy?? I don?t even know how old he is? Darn? I sound old like that...
Still? I like the speech?

And with that, his face turned into a content smile?
Yes, this was the kind of talk you?d expect from an officer. Promotion, h

[blockquote]Alex took in a deep breath blew it out, shaking his head, his long hair falling across his face as the dust from the detonated building settled on him.

"That's how to bring a building down, sir!" one of his nearby soldiers called. As the deafening roar of falling debris threatened to drown out even the gunfire peppered throughout the town.

Daimler smiled to himself opting not to reply to his man's comment; there was a battle going on after all. He figured that if he began talking with his soldiers too much, although they were mostly combat veterans like himself, people would start to lose the sense of authority. His experience with command left him with the lasting belief that there should always remain a separation between soldiers and their officers. Even if the gap itself wasn't very wide.

A private who was in his unit ran up to him, urgent to report.

"Yes?" Daimler said.

"Sir, Lieutenant Madsen reports that 2nd Company is in position on the opposite side of the town. They have cut the road which is the resistance's only escape route. Also, Sergeant Lennox claims the last holdouts have been cornered in that three story house down the road a few blocks." The man turned and pointed.

"Lead the way," said Daimler who, followed by a guard of seven men, arrived at Lennox's position a few minutes later. It was an old boarding house which had been dishing out a good deal of fire since the attack on Kal?Ishbal had first begun. It was apparently their last stronghold. Good thing too, thought Alex. He was eager to capture this town at least before the rumored arrival of Major Commanche. The captain subscribed to the same philosophy as his commanding officer, Mosquito.

Once inside, the sergeant relayed the situation information to him. Several Ishbal resistance men were still upstairs, after having been forced out of the bottom floor by two squads of Daimler's infantrymen during the latter phases of the assault. The bulky Ishbal soldiers who had died defending the bottom floor were laid in the corners of the room in sad heaps to clear the way for a command post which Sergeant Lennox had established.

Daimler realized that a fast end to the situation had to be effected. "First squad, follow me upstairs, we'll finish the rest of these pigs off." With that, he slung his rifle over his shoulder and unholstered his 1911 and removing the safety, knowing that a close-quarters fight was in order.

Proceeding up the stairs with five men following him, Daimler approached a door which led to a room that gunfire had been seen coming from. As he prepared with two others to open it, he heard movement in a door across the hall.

The captain was immediately in command mode, pointing to the remaining three troops with him, and then to the door itself. They would enter both rooms at once, taking the occupants by force. One of the men with him stood back and booted the wooden door in, while Daimler and the other soldier, a blonde woman, swung in with their sidearms raised. Behind him he could hear the entry of the opposite room as well. Military precision, he thought.

Three Ishbalian resistance fighters sat hunched near the far side of the room, attempting to assess the situation in the rest of the town by peering out of the window - they were totally unprepared for the heavy infantry's attack. Daimler and the female trooper would have been totally prepared to spare their lives, had one of the foolish soldiers not tried to reach for his rifle. At that moment, two .45 ACP slugs tore through the flesh of each of the men, fired from Daimler and his two comrades.

He sniffed, almost displaying pity at the deaths of the enemy soldiers, hearing gunfire in other parts of the building. Alex then heard Lennox's cry of "the town is ours!" and a resounding cheer from the rest of his soldiers and other Amestrian infantry scattered throughout Kal?Ishbal. The captain allowed himself a smile, as he retrie

[blockquote]"Aye, doll!!" Gene shouted as he pulled his hand from behind her and clutched it with the ohter. "Yi so mean to me." He shook his head as he smiled at her. She had thrown him the same comment only a couple days ago when they had met back up. He really did respect her because of her dedication, but sometimes she could be a real tight ass, not willing to let her hair down. He sighed, at the same time she did, and let his head fall back. "Yi has got to learn how to have some fun. Sometimes I wonder if you have been with a man before."

He folded his arms in a pouting manner and looked around. They would soon be reaching Ishbal and he would have to deal with the gigantic moustache of Grand. The man stuck too much to the book and then took it to the extreme, such a troublesome man. Then there was Mustange. A good soldier overall, Gene couldn't complain about him. Mustange had his spots, but you could count on him in tough situations. Hopefully, Gene would spend less time reporting to the Colonels and more time with Zerah. She would come around, eventually.

"Hey Zaara," He said coming back to the reality of the situation. "Do we know anything about where we might be stationed or what campaigns we might be on?" His tone was alittle more serious than it had been before. Ishbalans, even though not alchemist, was still a threat. It wasn't like bullets bouced off SA's skin, or something. He could easily be killed just like everyone else, and facing that fact was something he didn't like to do often, but it did help bring some people down back to earth, letting them know they were not invincible. "What would you say the death reports are about now, doll?"[/blockquote]

Lt. Colonel Gene Lawson was quite the showing, as Jo had been warned when they were first heading out. He had tried to collect data on everyone he would be in contact with to know what to do and what not to do around them, also just to know more about them. People had told him that Gene Lawson was a loud, proud, and sometimes arrogant person, borderline insane in fact and so far, none of these observations had faield to be proven wrong. The other leading officer aboard the transport, Zerah Solingen, was a more serious and reserved person, only saying what was necessary and making an impact when she said it, something that Joseph admired about her. She was known as the Blade Alchemist, but Joseph had yet to see her in combat, though he knew it was something very vicious for her to get that name. The others aboard the transport hadn't made so much noise and were mostly keeping themselves in line, not stepping out of bounds. Obviously, not all of them knew each other, but hopefully they would be able to get more comraderie in this trip going that would be necessary later on, on the battlefield.

He remained quiet, as did the others. He didn't know about them, but he was reflecting on the pass to ease his mind, on how on the first day he had become a State Alchemist and been dubbed the Earthen Forge Alchemist, a powerful name for a not so powerful person, but he took it with honors, hoping to live up to his brother's standards that he had left behind for him. He wasn't sure he had done so, but hopefully he could make a name for himself in Ishbal. He didn't like killing and though his moves were destructive, he had never taken a single life before, only causing burns and injuries. Ishbal was turning out to be a somewhat bloody confrontation, but he didn't know why Ishbal had just didn't stand down. They were no match for the well organized state military and now that they were bringing in more state alchemists, when notable alchemists like the Flame, Strong Arm, and Iron blood were already there. It was almost as if the military was ready to extinguish the light of Ishbal forever.

It saddened him to think that he might have to kill just to get noticed and it wasn't something he was going to strive to do if he didn't have to. Some people did horrible things in the times of war, but then blamed it on how they were just following orders, something Joseph despised. He would never do something horrible just because another person ordered him to, even if it cost him his life. There was a need for priniciples now that he hoped wouldn't be forgotten when they got there. He wasn't really clear on how this whole thing was started, some say that the armed forces for both sides had had rising tensions for a long time and that it had finally come to a boil on one day, but that one day was blurred to say the least.

Finally deciding to break his silence, he looked up from the watch he had been rolling from hand to hand and waited until Lt. Colonel Lawson finished asking his questions then spoke up afterwards, clearing his throat, "Excuse me, Lt. Colonel Solingen. I hope I am not bothering you, but I wanted to know something. Why exactly are we being sent, and by we, I mean State Alchemists. The Flame, Iron blood, and Crimson along with others are already there. Aren't we like overkill, in a way?" He paused, considering his next question and how to phrase it. "On a more personal tone, how do you feel about this? I mean, do you think we are right, ma'am? What about you, sir?" He asked both higher ups. He sat back, wiping sweat from his forehead and exhaling hard. He really hoped they would think his words were something like treason.

"I don't about the Lt. Colonel but I think what we should do is just find out who's causing all this ruckus and just aking them out, I mean, it souldn't take to much to find them I mean we have one of the best intellegence agencies in the world don't we? It just doesn't make any sense to wipe out an entire group just to put down a small insurrection, but hey orders are orders." Michael said with a shrug.

TAG: Transport occupants

IC: Karim Assad

"I'll do that thank you my friend." Karim said "You do not know what this means to all of Ishbal". He was very grateful for his advice and his promise to help, regardless the danger it posed. It showed that even in s godless place like Amestris there were still some people with souls. "So when do the Amestrian soldiers usually show up? About what hour of the evening?" Karim asked James, taking a quick glance out of the corner of his sunglasses to check if any would show up as he spoke, no such luck. He then returned his gaze to James, awaiting his reply.

OOC: It seems there?s been a little confusion on timing and whatnot, and with some additions to certain postings, I guess I?ll address the timing and such for the game.

On July 23rd, 1908, the first squad of State Alchemists under Colonel Grand left Amestris. On July 24th, they arrived in Ishtan, Ishbal and the Military reinforcement among which Lt. Barrett is a member left Amestris. On July 25th, in the early morning, the reinforcements arrived in Ishtan and the second squad of State Alchemists left Amestric, scheduled to arrive on July 26th.

That being said, the game is currently centered on July 25th. In Lt. Barrett?s scenes, it is just dawn of that day and I?ve decided that Captain Daimler?s scenes will take place about roughly the same time. The second State Alchemist squads scenes on the truck take place around noon of that day, about the same time as Karim, Solo and Alika?s scenes. Hopefully, that should straighten things up a bit.

IC: James Black
McMillian?s Pub- East City- Amestris

Taking a quick chug of the last of his beer, James rolled back his shirt sleeve and looked at his watch. ?Well, it?s about 12:45 right now, so I?d say sometime between?.six and seven the soldiers should start arriving. I would just hang around the city until then, if you can. Well, I guess I should probably head back to the office before they start wondering where I disappeared to. If you need me?? He reached into his pants pocket and took out a slip of paper and a pen on which he quickly began to write a series of numbers before pushing it to Karim. ?Here?s my home and office phone numbers. I?ll be at the news office until about 5:30, so if you need me later than that, call my home. If anyone but me answers, however, use a pseudonym. We don?t want to draw any unwanted attention.?

He stood from the booth?s bench and walked a few steps forward before placing a hand on Karim?s shoulder and whispering into his ear, ?Just be careful, alright? There are many eyes in the East looking for Ishbalans and you don?t want to get on the military?s bad side, especially right now.?

The dawn?s rising sun illuminated Kal?Ishbal with an red light. Haunting? and oddly befitting, considering the situation. His radioman had only just passed along the message to the Colonel that the city had fallen and the last holdouts of resistance had fallen. The town was now their?s.

?Radio Captain Daimler,? Colonel Mosquito called back to the radioman. ?Tell him to have his company ready. I?ll be arriving in the town square shortly.?

With eight minutes, the Colonel and his guard had made it from the Forward Command Bunker, a temporary shelter from which he could safely observe the battle, to the town square where Captain Alex Daimler and the men of Second Company of the Fifth Battalion of the First Regiment, the battle group under Mosquito?s command for the extermination of the Gunja Dariha. He had decided to lead the Second Company personally to take care of Kal?Ishbal while the rest of the troops awaited Major Commanche and anyone else that might be accompanying him at their base camp halfway between their current position and the town of Heshbon.

Marching up the street and looking over the company, Captain Daimler at the head, Colonel Mosquito walked up to the dark brown-haired young man and saluted, who returned the gesture in kind with his right automail arm. ?Good work, Captain Daimler. Casualty report??

Ford sat there for a while, silent and chastened. There was truth in what the Lieutenant had said and he was getting caught up in the bloodlust many in the military now had. With that said, though, he had read the Fuhrer?s orders

[blockquote]Zaara really knew how to get people emotionally concerned about something, but to Gene, she was thinking too military like, like the Fuhrer and Grand. She was thinking of the State higher than individual life, and what she would have to do. Gene didn't know what she had done in the past to get to her rank, any campaigns she might have led, but for her to speak in such general terms, he doubted her experience in the field.

He killed because of his own need to fight, his natural animal instinct, but he took no pleasure in fighting something that couldn't defend itself like babies and, sometimes, women. He wasn't as enthusiastic when it came to slaughter as the Crimson was, but he did take joy in it. Maybe that's why people thought of him the way they did.

He turned his head back to Zaara and eyed her up and down, comtemplating how to start the conversation and admiring her physique, which was a nice one to look at. As much as he wanted to touch her, it might not be the best decision, since he had seen her grab her katana when she had gotten riled up about the war.

Grinning, he tapped his fingers along the back of the board again, but not far enough along so he would keep his fingers. "Doll...you seem alittle too dedicated to a cause you don't even know that much about. I don't know what you have done in the past, but you seem to talk about taking life in statistics, rather than actually looking at the things you have to do once you're down facing the person you're about to kill. Little children, doll. Think about it."[/blockquote]

"Doll...you seem alittle too dedicated to a cause you don't even know that much about. I don't know what you have done in the past, but you seem to talk about taking life in statistics, rather than actually looking at the things you have to do once you're down facing the person you're about to kill. Little children, doll. Think about it."

Returning to her former position, head down, eyes closed and arms crossed, she didn?t reply at first, but thought about what he had said. Perhaps there was a little more to this man that she had heard. There was truth in his words. She had killed men many time on the battlefield in defense of the nation and from that such strong words as she had declared sprung. But what ABOUT the children? The civilians in general. The military apologist in her would say that no one was innocent in this struggle. The ?innocent civilians? could easily pick up a weapon and fight when the time came and these children were just tomorrow?s insurgents. Still, there was that quiet voice she had buried deep inside that wondered, when she finally came face to face with an Ishbalan child and was forced to make the choice, would she kill it? The child could have also been a comrade of her?s in the military if Ishbal hadn?t rebelled, but then, if Ishbal hadn?t rebelled, she wouldn?t need to be killing them in the first place.

In the end, she decided just to say nothing. Regardless of their feelings, they had a job to do, and most of these soldiers seemed green enough as it was. They didn?t need doubts placed in their minds as they opened the battlefield.

Ford fell silent, his face an indication of the realisation of his own destructive impulse. He was just one of the people who fell prey to the bloodlust felt in a war. It was a most common phenomenon, and happened to many a men in the military. The aftermath; The realisation that came after the war, of the wickedness and atrocities one had committed in battle, however, would be far more destructive to the ego, driving some of them in the dark depths of mental illnesses like phobias, paranoia, and even insanity.
Yes, Alex himself began to feel it too, the indescribable feeling of hate and malicious intent towards the Ishbalites. He was able to suppress the feelings he felt for now, by convincing himself he didn?t mean it, creating the illusion of him retaining the innocence and good-will he had as a child. But he could only hope, though, that his rationality and common sense would save him from the fate of depression and seemingly perpetual sadness that veterans were forced to suffer. He could only hope that he himself, Ford, and anyone else involved in the war wouldn?t have to suffer the flashbacks of violence, destruction, and death, over and over again.

The sun, still crawling up the sky slowly, illuminated the camp completely now, with a bright red glow which characterised the morning. When it looked beautiful and peaceful just the day before, now it was like a harbinger of the blood that was going to flow today.

The camp resumed its quiet, peaceful waking. The soldiers who had started to prepare themselves about ten minutes ago, were packed, armed, and briefed now, ready to move out.
Conversations began. The pointless chit-chat in his own brigade started to grow louder. He tried not to listen too much, as the uncomfortable silence between him and Ford continued. When a familiar name, however, was uttered by a fellow-soldier, he was drawn into the conversation, listening intensively.

?Didja hear? Apparently Colonel Mosquito and his men have taken Kal?Ishbal! The assault on the Gunja district has begun!?

?With all these troops and state alchemists, you could destroy our own central city. So why are they attacking Gunja? We?re more than able to attack and conquer Ishbal?s capital easily? And the chances are high the capture of Ishbal City would cause the moral of the enemy to drop, hopefully even causing their surrender? Every officer or tactician would realise this. So why Gunja-??

The realisation caused an almost sickening sensation in his stomach? He turned back to Ford.

?That means they?re serious, huh? They actually are going to exterminate Ishbal. No man, woman, or child will remain alive when we?re done? I always hoped it wouldn?t be a full-scale genocide? But??

His voice died off, the realisation of the coming holocaust had left him speechless?

He turned away, not knowing whether the feeling in his stomach was anger? or Fear?
And with one final curse from under his breath, he sat down, his back against the crumbled wall behind him, desperately trying to get rid of the feelings of fear, anger, sadness, and even shame. He cursed again. He never should?ve enlisted for the military?

He slowly raised an eyebrow in slight confusion when he saw the soldiers taking the position to fire. His grin slowly turned into a frown that showed disappointment as he shook his head in a very irritated way. He pushed the bangs of his spiky hair back, "The situation must be worst then I thought if they're killing anyone whose trying to enter Ishbal..." Solo sighed as stuffed his hands in his coat's pockets, "Looks like the war has made the military be ruder then usual"

Solo stared at the soldiers that were already pointing their rifles at him while being in a rather organize formation. He took his hands off his coat's pocket as he raised his hands in the same manner someone would when they surrender to the enemy.

"I'll go along peacefully as long as no guns are included!" Solo shouted to the soldiers, however none of them reacted at all. Probably because they couldn't hear him or simple because they didn't care what he said, their orders were given already.

"I see...well looks like i have no other choice" a grin was formed across his face as he clapped his hands together then slam them on the floor just like he had done before.

The soldiers frighten by the sudden light wasted no time as they quickly began to fire aiming at the stranger that had come and dare face them, the military.

Solo's grin was still in his face, just as soon as he had finished a wall made of sand twice his size had emerged from the ground protecting him from the bullets. He had made sure to make the sand strong enough to withstand the bullets being fired.

Once it was over, Solo quickly clapped his hands again, "We should get rid of those guns, they're way too dangerous" with that said, he transmuted the air creating a large gust of wind. it move towards the unexpected soldiers lifting them off the ground violently, in the process making them lose their weapons before being dropped on the ground.

While everything was happening Solo walked closer, his hands were moving around as he controlled the wind, "The weather can be so unexpected specially the wind" he dropped his hands as he clapped them for the fourth time that day.

The soldiers who were groaning and complaining about the pain they felt had no time to relax as they were suddenly engulfed in tons of sand that covered their entire body except for their heads. Solo watched with amusement as the soldiers struggle, he walked closer to them. They were all stuck in a giant ball of sand with no escape.

Solo walked over to whom he taught was the leader, leaning against the sand next to Private Andrews he asked him, "Well since none of you will be going anywhere for a while, I want to ask some questions and I will demand the answers"

"First question; are there State Alchemist here?" Solo asked his tone taking a slightly darker tone, "Second question; where are they and how many of them are in Ishbal?"

"By the way, just so that we're clear on things if you refuse to answer my questions I will make this ball of sand explode making you along with your soldiers blown up into millions of pieces so if you value your life you will do what I say"

Diana had all but ignored everyone around her, eyes cast down as she read from a thick book in her lap; she heard the voices of course, but somehow could not make any sense out of them, as if they were speaking a foreign language she could never understand. That happened whenever she read, unless her name was mentioned, she would push reality to the back of her mind and focus on the story revealing itself before her stunned eyes.

Eyes still fixed upon the page, Diana listened to the debate. A pang of wrath surged through her. Looking up briskly as she slammed the book closed, Diana looked around, blue eyes looking around the rest of the Alchemists with oddly no expression at all showing on her face. No wrath, no irritation, nothing. She hoped this would get her point across. After all, not all of them were here voluntarily.

Her concentration and pleasant mood having been shattered, the small woman directed her gaze out the window, ignoring the bright sun. Diana?s blank demeanour dissolved instantly to curiosity as she studied the landscape. She oddly enough liked it, as dry as it might look.

Tense muscles relaxed considerably, or at least as much as she would allow it without looking careless. This was going to be a long time away from home.

Starting to feel the irritating itch of boredom, Diana set her imagination free, watching it fly away from her like a bird, and immediately looking down at her book, once again lost in the unfair trial that was about to take place.

Tag: Anyone who feels like it really..

-----------------------------------------------

IC: Alika

Alika watched as the bloodied boy was half dragged into the clinic before walking away to mind her own business, not bothering to give it a second thought. This could be taken by the onlooker as coldness, but the onlooker would have to have lived in a bubble, isolated from the war, to think in such a way.

He had been lucky, and the Ishbalan girl knew this. Those cursed, freaky-eyed foreigners rarely missed their target.

Shading her eyes with a small hand, Alika looked up at the sky and in the general direction of the sun. She was late.

?Why, thank you, mother? she thought sarcastically, speeding up a little and mentally rolling her eyes.

An hour and a half later, she was stepping into her house and out of her old, dirty shoes.

?You?re late, girl? her mother said a bit coldly, stepping out of her room.

?I?m so very sorry, Mother? Alika apologized, bowing her head a little, her voice dripping with venomous sarcasm ?I would have been here earlier, but taking care of your business slowed me down.?

Both women glared at each other, Alika taking the time to examine her mother. She was still beautiful as always, in a bold way the males found extremely attractive, as it was very clearly known. Even so, she was paler than usual, there were bags under her eyes, and eyes were dull with sickness. Alika found it hard to feel sorry for her, but lowered her own eyes nonetheless, stepping into the kitchen.

?Doctor Dabir changed your medication,? she stated, washing her hands with some water she had procured from a big bucket. ?And increased the dose. He said that should make you feel better?

Farah watched her daughter?s back, leaning against the doorframe. She had lost some weight, and the white, thick braid she had put her hair into was tossed over her right shoulder, a thin, glistening layer of sweat making her dark skin glisten slightly. She sighed tiredly and walked inside herself, sitting in on of the old wooden chairs, ignoring the tiered creak of protest it gave under her slight weight.

Looking down at his boots, Ford sighed at the thought of entering combat and having to shoot innocent women and children. The image made his stomach turn over on itself.

?So?? He said with a sigh, glancing up at Barret and throwing protocol to the wind to talk to his superior officer and friend like a normal human being. ?What do we do now, Alex? Can we really follow orders like these?

Before the Second Lieutenant could answer, one of the Corporals with their group, Carlson, came running up the hill. ?Hey, guys! I just heard down below from the some the other soldiers! Apparently the Brigadier General has finished detail assignments and they?ll be posted on a board down by the Communications? tent!?

TAG: Cryodragoon

IC: Captain Sedgwick
Tarsa- Ishbal District- Ishbal

The soldiers in the trenches watched wide-eyed as the wall of sand came hurtling towards them. It wasn?t just the sight of alchemy that had them surprised, but that the source of that alchemy was an Ishbalan! Wasn?t that supposed to be against their religion or something!?

Sand came down upon them like a ton of bricks but before they could react, they were each buried under a mound, save for their head. The black-coated Ishbalan walked up to them and leaned on the sand which was holding Andrews, looking Captain Sedgwick straight in the eyes.

"Well since none of you will be going anywhere for a while, I want to ask some questions and I will demand the answers. First question; are there State Alchemist here?" the Ishbalan paused, his voice taking a dark tone. "Second question; where are they and how many of them are in Ishbal? By the way, just so that we're clear on things if you refuse to answer my questions I will make this ball of sand explode making you along with your soldiers blown up into millions of pieces so if you value your life you will do what I say."

?I?m surprised you can even speak proper English, Ishbalan pig,? the Captain said, spitting at him. ?Even if I knew, I?d never tell you. I?d rather die a proud soldier of Amestris than a traitor to the Fuhrer! Do your worst, you red-eyed rat!?

Despite the Captain?s resolve, his other soldiers, especially Andrews, were looking nervous. None of them wanted to be traitors to Amestris, but they also did relish being blown into tiny bits either.

Aye, she hadn't respnded, almost as Gene had expected. People didn't like thinking that the thing they served was wrong. He wasn't a traitor to the Military, jsut he was looking at things from somebody who has had to go through it before, a soldier, some would call him battle hardened in such affairs. Though he was ready, as most of these soldiers thought they were, the war in Ishbal was said to be much worse than several ones before it.

Zerah held the same rank as him, but she didn't seem willing to face the harsh reality of things now, or rather she just acted like they didn't exist. She knew better than that, Gene hoped, and would prove her keep on the field. Otherwise, she could just be his right hand woman. He startd to picture her smiling and maybe actually being nice and cheerful for once, but realized that would never happen.

He scooted closer to her in a nonchalant way and looked around over the seemingly endless desert. It was almost a dream if they were alone instead of with everyone else. When were they going to get to Ishbal? The ride had indeed taken longer than he expected when they had first set out and his stomach was starting to feel the effects of eating all his food in the first five minutes of the trip. "So! yi the Water Alchemist, aye?" he said suddenly to the young girl across from him and Zerah. "I have the feeling we may get along fine. Whatcha readin there?" She had been quiet for most of the ride, reading a book, and seemed to almost not know that they had been talking. He hoped he hadn't alarmed her.

Another silence passed, this one even worse than the other. Ford looked really depressed now. Maybe it was good that this wasn?t a speech in front of the entire brigade? It?s bad for business to send out a depressed brigade. Yes, maybe he should act less sad and more like an officer should. He?ll set the example for his squad.

But first, he?d have to get rid of that dreadful feeling in his stomach? It felt like the sickness after an evening of heavy drinking, except for the pleasantness of the alcohol. And it seemed as if Ford wasn?t feeling any better than he did. He looked much worse. He was either inspecting his boots very thoroughly, or he felt so awful that he couldn?t even look Alex in the eyes anymore. And Alex genuinely feared, that it was the latter. He looked really bad, and just when he wanted to say something to cheer him up, Ford jerked up his head and glanced up to him, and uttered a most unexpected question.

?So??
Ford sighed? This probably won?t be something pleasant??What do we do now, Alex? Can we really follow orders like these??

Yes, a most unexpected question, indeed. And he addressed him using his name. It hit him like a rock. He hadn?t heard this hard a question in a long time. And despite his burning wish to answer it in a such a way it?d cheer his buddy up, he really couldn?t. He had no idea what to say.
A soldier of his squad caught his eye as he came running up the hill, he had a shoulder badge with one star indicating his rank of corporal. Alex turned his head back to Ford, who was still staring at him, probably hoping for some comforting words. The same kind of words Alex himself would like to hear.

?I ??
He opened his mouth to answer the question, but the soldier had already started shouting, addressing the entire brigade.

?Hey Guys!?

Alex sighed? He would need to teach the guy some manners? This Corporal? Carlson, wasn?t it? But wait! Corporal? Shouting? This probably wasn?t just any kind of message. The chatter of the soldiers stopped, and all the heads turned around to Corporal Carlson, as the area went silent. He continued, in a more quieter volume, but still shouting.

?I just heard down below from the some the other soldiers! Apparently the Brigadier General has finished detail assignments and they?ll be posted on a board down by the Communications? tent!?
And Alex was greatful. Not because this meant the end of the waiting, but because this inspired him to answer Ford. He wasn?t very happy with it, but maybe, just maybe, it?d cheer him up for just the slightest bit. His voice changed back to its reassuring and calm sound. And hopefully, it?d sound the way people used to described it as: ?Jolly??

?We?ll just have to follow orders like these. I?m not too happy with it, but there?s no other way, is there? Well? Aside from a firing squad, that is. But maybe we?ll find a way? We could always let some Ishbalites escape ?accidentally?. And hopefully, we?ll get ourselves a nice little State Alchemist who agrees with out views.?

He stood up, checking and fastened his equipment belt and his jacket again. It was time to act as the Second Lieutenant again. Time to cheer up. He shouted to people who were standing close to him, yet to no one in particular.

?Come on, peeps, you?ve heard him, next stop is the communications tent!?
And with a small pause he continued a bit more softer, trying to sound as ?the good ol? Barret? again.?Let?s hurry up, guys, I?m getting hungry??

Time to cheer somebody up. He walked up to Ford, and, with a slight hesitation, put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

?Alrighty then, gloomy guy, let?s get over there and see whether our hopes have come true

In the early morning sunlight, a worn-slip of paper is nailed to a large wooden board posted several feet west of the Communications? Tent. On it, in relatively neat handwritten letters, were the duty assignment for the major soldiering groups assigned to the region, as well as the State Alchemist assigned to each group.

Beneath the assignments, on the board, was a map of the nation of Ishbal with the major towns and cities within the region marked on it.

As Alex passed through the desert of partly destroyed buildings, a large field came into his eyesight. Littered with tents and men in the standard military garb, the peace and calmness of the camp was now gone, replaced by a heavy, nervous atmosphere. In the distance, a crowd gathered around a large wooden board, a few feet away from a large tent that, apparently, was the Communications? Tent. As Alex came closer to the post, the crowd grew larger, and apparently the tension had risen to such a high level that the officers were practically forced to wait just as much as the regular private, as everyone struggled to find out about their assignments. The noises grew louder, as a large number of mumblings, sighs and complaints were uttered everywhere, and eventually, the crowd shrank again as each one of the countless of soldiers found out where they were sent to and under who. The noise, however, did not, and were bound to cause an irritation anytime now.

Alex practically waded through the multitude of tents, worried about the silence and the bad aura that radiated from Ford. He hadn?t spoken at all, and didn?t even respond to his bet. His comments about the war had clearly struck a nerve, and Alex worried about the consequences this all could cause; if he would even be able to participate in all this.

Most of the people had walked away from the board as Alex? own brigade started arriving. The closer he got, against all of his expectations, the more nervous he got. He couldn?t watch the reactions of his own squad mates anymore, as his gaze was solely directed to the bulletin post. It was a map, with the brigade numbers and their appointed area.
?So? Let?s see, 32nd Brigade. Ah, there? 32nd Brigade, Parshan District, Major Diana Brinkerhoff and Lieutenant Colonel Gene Lawson, huh??

Heh, the Water Alchemist and the Chillbane Alchemist? Sounds like one hell of a duo?

?Oy? Wait a minute there, Hey, Ford, Look at that: ?Diana?, that sounds pretty female, doesn?t it? And the district is Parshan, huh? I?ve heard the oasis over there really earns the title ?the Heart of Ishbal?. We should consider ourselves lucky, mate. A girl on the team, and we even get to stop at a lovely oasis, man. War could never be better.?
There, let's see if this cheers him up for a bit?

A content smile and a tap on the shoulder of Ford ended his small monologue. He stepped away from the bulletin board, making room for the others?

?By the way: I told ya we?d be assigned to the new Alchies, didn't I??
An evil grin appeared on his face?
He moved his face closer to Ford?s ears, trying to avoid the clamour of the surrounding crowd, and whispered, in a most mischievous, yet playful voice:

OOC: I was going to wait til more people (IE: The Alchemists in the truck) got a chance to reply to each other and interact, but it seems people are getting busy with school and the like so I may just time skip you all ahead to Ishtan soon. Perhaps by Monday, so keep an eye out for it.

The Warrant Officer smirked at Barret as he passed by and turned to follow him as both made their way to the Mess Tent on the Eastern side of camp. So, they were assigned to the Water and Chillbane Alchemists, huh? Ford didn?t know much about the Lieutenant Colonel, but he had spoken several times with Major Brinkerhoff at Eastern Command Center. She was a kind young woman, attractive, and had the strangest white hair for her age. Like the Second Lieutenant had said, a woman in the unit and a scenic region for their assignment. It looked like the go off pretty easy.

?I don?t quite have any cenz on me now,? he said, opening the flimsy mesh door of the Mess Tent for his superior officer, ?but I?ll give you my desert if they?re serving any. Sound like a deal??

?I?m surprised you can even speak proper English, Ishbalan pig,? the Captain said, spitting at him. ?Even if I knew, I?d never tell you. I?d rather die a proud soldier of Amestris than a traitor to the Fuhrer! Do your worst, you red-eyed rat!?

Solo slowly took off his sunglasses, they were cover with the Captain's spit, he started cleaning them with the sleeve of his coat. The Ishbalan took his time wiping(sp?) the spit from the shades ignoring the glares and curses being thrown at him. He knew them all because he had been called those names before, some were in even worst. He had never understood it when he was young even now he couldn't understand it, all that he knew was that because he and other Ishbalans looked different than them and had red-eyes they were hated.

Once he was done Solo put his sunglasses back on, he looked at the other soldiers. He could tell that almost all of them weren't so lay back about dying for Fuhrer.

"I see...so you're willing to give your life away for pride? hmm" grins before staring at the soldiers, "Then what about your soldiers? are they willing to give their die as easy as you?"

Tag: R_Zion

OCC: I know this post sucks, but I'll do better for the next one, promise

Starting to wade through the tents again, the duo calmly walked north. Ford had smirked, thank goodness, and looked one hell of a lot better than before. The noises, previously unheard throughout the camp, grew louder as they approached the Mess Tent. The sun beginning to scorch the environment with its blasted heat, and the lukewarm water in his standard military flask wasn?t quite cold enough to be refreshing, to say but the least. So, hopefully, the Tent would bring about some shadows, along with real refreshments.?I don?t quite have any cenz on me now,?
Ford said, as he opened the flimsy mesh door of the Mess Tent for his superior officer, ?but I?ll give you my desert if they?re serving any. Sound like a deal??

The noise of the lively mess hall swept over them. This was the place where everyone could forget their daily worries and be themselves, talking to friends over a quiet meal. There were three rows of long tables, with people walking to and fro, and all three of them were largely occupied, with some spots left at the far end. The food was first class, military rations grade-A: Fresh made, no cans to be found. It was one of the rarest kinds of food served. Yes, they were lucky indeed, especially with the desserts.

Alex almost gasped as he saw ? and more importantly: smelt ? the food, neatly stacked into holders, like at a walking buffet. Oh, and the desserts looked lovely? He smiled as he answered to Ford. He was not going to like this.
?Oh man, Just look at the desserts? It?s a Deal??

And as they proceeded to shove food onto their plates, Alex smiling briefly to a nice young lady, part of the cooks, who were probably watching so that no-one secretly took a second round, the people who had already finished their meals left, and more and more people from their own brigade entered. They proceeded to walk down the second aisle, Alex whistling slightly to ignoring the stares of people checking out the newbies, and eventually sat down at the very end of the third table. And while he started eating ? his chicken was the first victim of his hunger ? He asked:

?So, you being the more talkative and curious type, do you actually know anything about the people we?re going to be teamed up with? Or have you already heard something about when we?re going to be sent on a mission, or something? Any info?s nice to hear? This total lack of information about anything relevant?s starting to bug me? At least?About anything relevant to me, that is??

Yes, gossips and rumors are great, especially those from Ford. Charming as he always was, the talkative bastard was able to be the scourge of secrets and the best persuader in the house, and always get away with it? That, and he knew EVERYONE?

As Alex had eaten all of his food, his dessert looked most tempting, and as he took his first bite, smiling from ear to ear, he made sure to let a most obvious tear of joy flow, and whispered, of course, just when Ford was watching.
?Oh, they should?ve sent a poet??